Majid Jahangir
Kulgam, Pulwama, Sept 18 (UNI) In the first Assembly polls in a decade, people of South Kashmir on Wednesday embraced democracy in an effort to make their voices heard.
From early morning, voters, including large number of women, formed long queues at polling booths across all 16 assembly constituencies—spanning the four districts of Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian, and Pulwama—to cast their votes.
By the end of the day, Kulgam district recorded the highest voter turnout. According to the Election Commission, Kulgam saw a voting percentage of 62.46%, followed by Anantnag at 54.17%, Shopian at 53.64%, and Pulwama at 46.66%.
Chief Electoral Officer P K Pole said in the past elections the poll percentage never crossed single digit in the four districts that went to the hustings during the day.
“In the recent Lok Sabha polls, the polling percentage was 51 in Pulwama and 56 in Anantnag. The poll percentage of second and third phases will further increase. The reason for high voter turnout is due to the improvement of the situation in Kashmir. Candidates of political parties, leaders and workers also mobilised people,” he said.
And the voters in several constituencies had different reasons to vote this time in the assembly polls which was the first election since the revocation of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir and conversion of the State into a Union Territory in August 2019.
“We boycotted elections for nearly three decades, but it brought us nothing—we lost everything instead,” said Tariq Ahmed, a resident of Bugam village in Kulgam, after casting his vote.
This village, which had largely boycotted elections in the past and is a stronghold of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami, saw voters coming out to participate this time. “I voted with the hope that a local government will create jobs for the youth. That’s why I chose to vote today,” Ahmed said, proudly showing his inked finger.
Across South Kashmir, voting took place in a relaxed atmosphere, with a festive mood prevailing among the people. Security presence was lighter compared to previous elections.
Bugam, a large village in the Kulgam constituency, is where CPI(M) leader and four-time legislator Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami is up against Sayar Rishi, a former Jamaat member, and PDP’s Mohammad Amin Dar.
In Pulwama district, the situation was similar, with voters young and old queuing up to cast their ballots. Once a separatist stronghold, young voters like Javaid Ahmed at Woshbugh Pulwama were eager to elect their representatives. “I have come to vote because it is my right,” said Ahmed, standing in line at the polling station. By 9 a.m., 125 out of 1,250 registered voters had already cast their ballots at his polling station.
Pulwama is witnessing an intense contest between PDP’s Waheed Para, National Conference’s Mohammad Khalil Bandh, and Talat, a former Jamaat member running as an independent.
Jamaat supporters were seen outside several polling stations in Pulwama, justifying their participation this time. “We didn’t vote in previous elections because we had no candidates. This time, our candidates are running, so we’ve come out to support them. Voting is important for development and other issues,” said a Jamaat supporter in Pulwama.
For many young voters in several constituencies, the abrogation of Article 370 was a key factor that drove them to the polls.
“I have felt disempowered since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. I want my rights back,” said a voter in the Rajpora constituency of Pulwama district. “I came out to vote for the first time to show that I want local governance restored.”
